Method of and apparatus for molding articles



T. K. COX

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MOLDING ARTICLES Filed Sept. 27, 1945 March 28, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.

INVENTOR T.K COX FIGS A TTORNE v cox 2,501,863

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MOLDING ARTICLES March 28, 1950 :5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 27, 1945 FIG. 2

N [/5 N TOR TK COX A TTORNE V 3 5 w t mx 1 a To 0 mu m6 y Y Y h 1 v s 2 m 3 G A H W T K COX METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MOLDING ARTICLES FIG 8 March 28, 1950 Flled Sept 27 1945 Patented Mar. 28, 1950 U NITED STATES OFF ARA-TUSEFUR MOILUIN G ICIJES ZART Claims.

This invention relates to methods of :and ap- ,p'ara'tus for molding articles,

Tn molding a plastic material, such as a h'o't rubber compound, around a flexible insert po'sitioned in a molding cavity of amold, sometimes the material is extruded intot-he molding "cavity, is cooled, and the moIdedartiCIe"isremoved' from the cavity prior 'to the vulcanization thereof. Such -operations are designated pre-vtilanciza- 'ti'on molding. Previously known molds "extrude :the moldingmateri'alinto thec'avity f-rom "orifices "spaced widely apart along the mold "cavity, whereby differential pressures are forme'din the molded material. "I'he "differential pressures *c'ausethe periphery of the molded article to' 'be lumpy when-the article is removed from the mold.

An objectof the invention the provision "ornew and improved methods "of'and apparatus 1 "for molding articles.

A 'furtherobj'ect of the invention is to provide new and improved methods of and *apparatus for moldingm'ateriaParound askel'etontermina-l of a cable "so as to "eliminate all 'iumps in the periphery er "the molded material.

accordance with these and "other objects, one method of molding artiles enibo'dying "the invention includes "thestep or extruding molding material in a thin sheet intO "a mammary.

An apparatus forming "one embodiment of' the invention includes a mold having a moldingcav ity formed therein, an "extrusion chamber and 'a' passage extending "from the extrusion chamber to the mold "cavity, thedischarge end of said passage *being substantially line-like in crosssection.

In practicing the invention in accordance w'ith one embodiment of the "invention, a 'skl'e'to'n "cable terminal "on the end'o'f a cable is placed 'in' an elongated molding cavity formed in *a *pa'ir or separable mold sections. One of the m'old sections has anextrus'ion chamber therein which is connected by "sprues to distributing channels formed in the other =mold section. The channels extend along substantially the-entireiength of the molding cavity on opposite sides thereof and :are connected to the "cavity by thin, linelike orifices, which extend substantiall Fthe entire length of the cavity. Heated molding mate- "rial is forced through the sprues.into' the ehanenels and into the'molding \cavity =throu'gh the thin orifices, which furthermla'sticize theinnaterial.

A complete understanding of the invention zmay beiobtained fromthe=iiollowingrdetaileflde- LII) r2 scrip'tion --'of methods and a-pparatus i ormin'g specific embodiments-thereof; When rea'd in conjun'cti'on with "the ap'pended drawings, in which:

Figil is'a-side-elevation of an apparatus"tormiiig one embodiment df the invention;

Fig. 2 is' a "top plan' view of a portion Of the apparatus;

"Fig. '3 is a' iragmentary, top'plan "viewof the apparatus;

'Fig. 4 *is a fragmentary, vertical sectiontaken along line ef-Fi'gxfi;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken al'ong line 5 56f Fig. 3;

"Fi'g. 6 is an enlarged iragmentary, vertical section of a portion of the apparatus shbw n' in Fig. 5;

"Fig. is a fragmentary top pla-n v'iew @of an apparatusforming "an alternative embodiment of the invention Fig-*8 is a "fragmentary, top plan view "of a portion the-apparatus shown' in'FigfV;

"Fig. 9 "a fragmentary, "vertical-':L-:e'ction taken "along line 9 9 -0fFigQ'7, and

Fig. "10 is a --fragmentary, vertical section of an apparatus forming a .funthen'embcdiment +0? the invention.

Referring now imd'etailto 'the draWi'n'gsfFi'gs. 1":to 6, inclusive, illustrate "a m'olding apparatus embodying the inverrtion vliliih is designed to mold insulating material around a skeleton cable terminal. This apparatus cQmpni'ses 'an upper mo'ldse'cti'on F0 "(*Fi'g. 3) --"and 'a-lo-wer mold'section 11 forming portions of a mold'whi'chiis designed to extrude a mass *of thermosettin'g molding material "I-B, such as a: rubber or a rubher-like insulating compound arou nd a skeleton "terminal lei-positioned -on the end of a cable 1 1 -'(Fig. 2-). The-upper "mold "section includes-an upper moldh1ock' f'2, "an upper mold insert 1 3, which is formed "or two sections ror convenience of construction, andan extrusion-eharnber H form'e'd in the t1pp'er mdld block. *Spru'es 21], 21 "2 2, 2%, 2 4, E 5 31] 3 l 32 #33 34 -35 and -36 Wis. 39 lead *from'oppositeside'sb'f thebottbm of the extrusion 'c'haniberto the-*bottom'of the "upper mold sec't'ion. Tubiilarnozzles 3 L 37 threaded into the 'outlet ends ofthesprues 22 and 3-2 are provided with small passages M -'38 extending therethrough, and tubul-ar nozzles 39 39 threaded into the outlet ends o'f the o'ther-spruesare "provided'with 'passagesWl t-T which are larger than the passages 38-18.

The-lowermold-section '-'H tFigwe') "inciudesza flower mold iblo'ck' fifl and a lower fimold insert i l, which i's form'eii "i i-WWO sectionsto iaciliteite con structing it. Elongated distributing channels 42 and 43 are formed in the lower mold insert and are separated by elongated lands 44 and 45, respectively, from a lower molding recess 46 formed in the lower mold insert. An upper molding recess 50 formed in the upper mold insert I3 is complementary to the lower mold recess and forms therewith a molding cavity 5|. The channels 42 and 43 are positioned directly below the outlets of the sprues 20 to 26, inclusive, and 30 to 36, inclusive, respectively, when the mold sections In and II are closed, as shown in Fig. 3, and the elongated lands 44 and 45 are spaced a short distance from the bottom of the upper mold insert iii to form therewith line-like extrusion passages 48 and 49, respectively. The depth of the passages 48 and 49 is very small and preferably should be from about 0.003" to about 0.015" for best results in molding terminals.

A mold cap 56 positioned in a socket 51 serves to interlock with the end of the skeleton terminal I6, and the cable I'i fits closely in grooves formed in the mold sections I and II, of which grooves a groove 58 is shown. The mold cap and the closefltting grooves serve to center the skeleton terminal I6 in the molding cavity I (Fig. 3) during the molding operation. A plunger 60 fits into the extrusion chamber I4 and is designed to force the material I8 through the sprues 20 to 26, inclusive, and 30 to 36, inclusive, the small passages 38-38 in the tubular nozzles 3'I3'I, the channels 42 and 43 and the line-like extrusion passages 48 and 49 formed by the lands 44 and 45 and the bottom portions of the upper mold insert I3 positioned directly above the lands.

The mold sections III and II are used in conjunction with a molding press II (Fig. 1) provided with a rain I2, which is attached to the plunger 60 and is actuated by hydraulic motive means I3 through a lever I4. A lower platen I5 supports the mold sections In and II and an upper platen 80, which is heated by means of a steam pipe 8I, heats the plunger 60 and the mold sections through a stripper plate 82, which is designed to hold the mold sections together. The lower platen also is heated by a steam pipe (not shown) and aids in heating the mold sections.

In the operation of the apparatus described hereinabove to perform one method embodying the invention, with the-mold sections I0 and I I, in the molding press II, the skeleton terminal I6 is placed in interlocking engagement with the mold cap 56, the mold cap is placed in the socket 51, the skeleton terminal is placed in the molding recess 4B in the lower mold section I I, and the cable I1 is placed in the groove 58. The mold sections I0 and l I then are closed, and the extrusion chamber I4 is charged with the molding material I8. The hydraulic mechanism I3 (Fig. 1) then is actuated to move the plunger 60,the upper platen 8D and the stripper plate 82 downwardly, as viewed in Fig. 1, and the plunger 60 forces the molding material through the sprues 20 to 26, inclusive, and 30 to 36, inclusive, into the channels 42 and 43, respectively. The heat of the mold sections, which are heated by the platen 80 and the pressure on the material, plasticizes it sufiiciently to facilitate the flow thereof.

The material then is forced in thin sheets through the line-like extrusion pass-ages 48 and 49. These extrusion passages extend substantially the entire length of the mold cavity 5| so that the flow of the material around the skeleton terminal is almost entirely transverse thereto. Also, the extrusion passage 48 is directed opposite to the extrusion passage 49 so that the flow of the material from the two passages is balanced. This balanced fiow of the material, which is directed substantially toward the centerline of the mold cavity 5 I, prevents bunching of conductors 65 of the skeleton terminal, and maintains the conductors and other elements of the skeleton terminal in properly oriented positions.

A loading coil ID of the skeleton terminal I6 occupies a relatively greater part of the portion of the molding cavity 5| in which it is positioned than do the other elements of the skeleton terminal in the portions of the molding cavity which they occupy. However, the small passages 3838 of the tubular nozzles 3'I--31, which are positioned in the sprues nearest to the loading coil, permit less molding material I8 to flow therethrough than flows through the passages 41-41 of the nozzles 3939 positioned in the other sprues so that little, if any, flow of the material occurs lengthwise of the molding cavity. The material I8 is extruded completely over the elements of the skeleton terminal I6 and fills all void spaces in the molding cavity 5 I After the molding cavity has been filled, the plunger is moved out of the extrusion chamber I4, and the mold sections I0 and II are opened. The skeleton terminal with the molded material extruded thereover and the mold cap 56 are removed from the mold, and the skeleton terminal and the mold cap then are disengaged. The above-described operation may then be repeated with skeleton terminals (not shown) identical with the skeleton terminal I6.

The material I8 molded around the skeleton terminal I5 then is covered with strips of jacketing compound (not shown), such as a rubber or a rubber-like compound, which strips may be easily positioned around the periphery Of the molded material without air voids therebetween because no lumps of the material I8 project from the periphery. Such lumps are present where prevulcanization molding is accomplished by mold sections having large orifices opening into an elon- 7 gated molding cavity at widely separated points along the molding cavity, which cause separated high pressure areas in the molded material. Such lumps cause voids and also cause the jacketing compound molded thereover to be too thin.

In the pre-vulcanization molding described hereinabove, the material is extruded along an elongated and thin line through the extrusion passages 48 and 49 from the'channels 42 and 43, in which channels the pressure of the material is equalized, so that no high pressure areas occur at separated points along the length of the molding cavity. Hence, no lumps are formed in th extruded product, and the strips of jacketing compound may be molded therearound easily in a manner such as to prevent voids therebetween. The thinness of the extrusion passages 48 and 49 also contributes to the avoidance of lumps because the material becomes more plastic as it is forced therethrough and the extrusion passages resist the flow of the material therethrough sumciently to equalize the pressure of the material in the channels 42 and 43 which are less resistant to the flow of the material than the extrusion pas sages.

The mold described hereinabove obviously may be used to vulcanize the molding material I8 if it is deemed necessary, and may be used to mold thermoplastic materials or any thermosetting material. I

An alternative embodiment of the invention is reg-comm rshownim l igs. 16, '7 and18. Thlszenibodiment comr prisesnmom sections 1H0 and JIII identical with ithennoldzsections I Brand :I I ,.-except that themold section :I H has a pair iofi's'hort distributing chaninels .I 52 1and I Bit-separated .completelyir-om :elongated distributing passages M2 and I 43 by thin walls .I 5.! and aIf58, and "that :the mold :section I I ihasza :short extrusion chamber .II'I directl over 'ithedistributingchannels I52 and I53 an elongated .iEXtI'IISiOl'l chamber 21:! 4 separated therefrom by 'a awaill M9.

;A:p1unger I 60 has a .slot 11.6 I formed therein to iprovideaclearance for the wall H9, which :slot :divides the plungerIGO into ashortiportion 1'66 amdza dong portion :IIi'I. :of theiplunger I60 is designed to extrude molding "material I-3'I of fone type .:from the extrusion chamber *I'ITI throughsprues 1:20 and ll3flzinto the distributing channels I52 and .153, respectively. .Theiimolding material flows from the channels '.I:52.';and 153 :through line-like extrusion passages 4 38 and =.I39.formed by lands fl34l3l11d :I35and the unoldisection H0 into the left end .o'f a molding cavityal'a'l :formedrby .a molding recess I46 andca zcomplementary molding recess .(not shown) formed in the mold section I I0.

Molding material II8 of a second type is extruded .byl'the long portion I61 of the plunger I60 from the extrusion chamber I I4 into the molding cavity t-l through sprues I2I-I2.I and I3I-I3I, line-like extrusion passages I48 and H39 formed hy-lan'ds I43 and IM and the portions of the mold section adjacent thereto. Thus, in a single moldting operation, molding material of one type may beiextruded over the left end of a skeleton ter- :minal ;I I6, as viewed in Fig. 7, and molding mate- The'short portion I 66 rial of -asecond type may be-extruded over the remainder of theskeleton terminal.

in the operation of the last-described mold, the mold isections I Ill and III are placed in a press .(notshown) similar to the press II (Fig. 1) and the plunger is installed in the press. The remainder of the molding operation is identical with that- 0f the mold .sections I0 and I I except that the two molding materials H8 and I 37 are extnude'dsimultaneousl-y into distinct portions of .the molding cavity I5I from the extrusion chambers l Hand In, respectively. The thin walls I51 and I'58.permit the molding materials H8 and I31 to meetalong a plane extending vtherebetween with very little 'flow of the materials lengthwise .o'flthe molding cavity l 5 I ".The last-described mold serves .to .mold the materials H8 and I3? around the skeleton terminal H6 simultaneously. in a single molding operationvvith a consequent saving in time and apparatus over those required to mold the different types of molding material separately. Alsoyno lumps are formed 'on the materials molded.

A mold comprising athird embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 9 and includes mold sections 2H! and 2. The mold sections 2H] and -2I I are identical with the mold sections I0 and H except that elongated distributing channels 2 l2 'and- 2-4'3, which correspond tothe distributing channels 42 and 43, are formed in the upper mold section-210 instead-of the lower mold section 2 I I.

-'Obviously,the molds described hereinabove may be used to mold economicallyand efficiently out (if ithermosetting -or thermoplastic materials "a wlde variety ofobjects as well as cable terminals.

What is claimed is:

1.?Ihe method of molding articles, which comprisesqao'sitioning aflexible core in a mold cavity, forcing plastic ,1 molding material iin a predeter- 'Imined 'tdirection into ithe 'imo'lding cavity against :one side of rtheflexibl'e score in the :form .of 'a sheet extending. substantiallythe entire lengthioif the cavity, and simultaneously 'withzsaid forcing step .forcing plastic molding'm'aterial in. azdirection opposite to that. of the first-mentioned sheet against the'opposite'side of the core inithe dorm ro'f'a thin sheetlextending substantially ltheentine .length :of the I cavity.

2. .FI'he: method of .moldingvulcanizazble iarticles ;prior to the vulcanization thereof, which acornprises forcing plastic molding :materialilinto one side of an elongated molding .cavity;havinga core positioned therein in the form of :a thinsh'flet extending substantially the entire .length .of ithe molding cavity, and simultaneously with said if'orcing step forcing plastic molding material into the molding cavity from a sidediametricallyzoptposed to the first-mentioned side :in the .iormmf a :thin sheet extending substantially the entire length :of the molding 1cavity,1said sheets :iof "the molding material :being not less than itlmee- -thousandths ofan inch thick.

-3. A molding apparatus, which comprises a mold having formed therein a molding cavity,a deep .channel extending along one edgemof the molding cavity, a Wide shallow passage extending irom'the molding cavity to'the channel,:an.-ex-- 'trusion chamber. anda ;plurality ofisprues spaced .along the mold for connecting the channel toithe extrusion chamber, :said channel serving to sub- 'stantially equalize :along the length thereof the pressure :of molding material :forced UhIOUEhnthB sprues into the channel :50 that the pressure 'of the material being :forced throughthe .passageis equal along the width ofthe passage, and-means for applying :a high pressure-to the material :in the extrusion chamber.

4. A molding apparatus, which comprises a mold having formed therein asmoldingicavi ly, a wide thin'passage opening into the=molding-:cavity, an extrusion chamber, aapluralityo'frspaced sprues leadin from the extrusionuchamber and a large distributingwchannel for zconnectin-g the sprues with the wide thin passage so that the pressure of molding .material .forced through the :sprues, the.distributingrchannel and thewidethin passage is equalized in the distributing channel, and meansfor forcing the material under -aihigh pressure'from the .extrusion chamber.

5. A molding apparatus, which comprises ta mold having formed therein 311 :extrusi'on :chamber, -a :sprue in com'munication'with and. leading from the extrusion chamber, .a large elongated distributing :passage in communication withzthe sprue and extending .laterally thereof, a 1 wide, thin extrusion passage extending along amiiin communication with the distributing .passageiand anelongatedmolding cavity extending along" and in communication with the extrusion-passagegand means forforcing molding: material Lfrom'ithe 'rextrusion chamber through the sprue, the distributing passage and thewide, thin extrusion :passage, whereby the moldingmaterialiis i'forcedl into .the molding cavity in the form v:of 'a "Wide, thin sheet.

6. A molding apparatus, which comprises ia mold having formed therein an extrusion-chamber, an elongated distributing.ohannel'ofia large cross-sectional :size, a plurality of sprues connecting the :distributing channel with the "extrusion chamber at ipointszspaced .along the channe1,'-'an elongated zmoldin'g :cavity 2 parall'eling'ithe zdistribiutin'g channel *and a wide, thinextrusionipassage connecting the distributingchannel with r the molding cavity, and means for forcing molding material from the extrusion chamber into the molding cavity through the sprues, the channel and the extrusion passage.

7. A molding apparatus, which comprises a mold having formed therein an elongated molding cavity, an extrusion chamber, a pair of shallow extrusion passages extending along opposite sides of the molding cavity for substantially its entire length and communicating with the molding cavity, a pair of deep distributing channels paralleling and in communication with the shallow extrusion passages and a plurality of sprues connecting the extrusion chamber with the distributing channels at spaced points along the channels.

8. A mold, which comprises a mold section having formed therein an extrusion chamber, a molding recess and a plurality of sprues leading 'from the extrusion chamber to points on the junction line of the mold section spaced along opposite sides of the molding recess, and a second mold section having formed therein a molding recess complementary to the molding recess in the first mold section and a pair of distributing channels positioned on opposite sides of the molding recesses and extending parallel with the molding recesses, said channels opening into the sprues, said mold sections forming a plurality of wide, thin extrusion passages connecting the molding recesses with the distributing channels,

9. A mold, which comprises an upper mold section and a lower mold section designed to fit against the upper mold section, said mold sections having a pair of elongated complementary molding recesses forming an elongated molding cavity for receiving a skeleton terminal, said upper mold section being provided with an extrusion chamber positioned over the molding cavity, a group of sprues leading from the extrusion chamber to points on the junction line of mold sections spaced along one side of the molding cavity and a second group of sprues leading from the extrusion chamber to points on the junction line of the mold sections spaced on the other side of the molding cavity, said lower mold section being provided with a pair of deep channels positioned directly below the outlets of the two groups of sprues and extending along the molding cavity on opposite sides thereof substantially the entire length of the cavity said mold sections forming a pair of oppositely directed, shallow extrusion passages connecting the channels with the molding cavity, each of said extrusion passages having a width at the outlet thereof substantially equal to the length of the molding cavity.

10. The method of molding articles, which comprises extruding against opposite sides of one portion of a flexible insert plastic material of one type into one portion of a molding cavity in the form of thin sheets lying in a predetermined plane and extending along said portion of the molding cavity, and extruding against opposite sides of another portion of the insert plastic material of a second type into a portion of the molding cavity immediately adjacent to the first-mentioned portion thereof in the form 'of thin sheets lying in said plane.

11. The method of molding distinct types of plastic molding material over a skeleton cable terminal, which comprises positioning a skeleton cable terminal in an elongated molding cavity, extruding molding material of one type into the molding cavity in the form of oppositely directed thin sheets extending along opposed portions of the molding cavity, and extruding molding material of a second type into the molding cavity in the form of oppositely directed thin sheets lying in the same planes as the sheets of the first-mentioned molding material.

12. A molding apparatus, which comprises a mold having formed therein a molding cavity, a pair of extrusion chambers, a pair of distributing channels extending along opposite sides of the molding cavity, a pair of partitions dividing each of the distributing channels into two portions, a sprue leading from one of the extrusion chambers to one of the distributing channels on one side of the partition, a second sprue leading from the other extrusion chamber to the last-meme tioned distributing channel on the other side of the partition therein, a third sprue leading from one of the extrusion chambers to the other distributing channel on one side of the partition therein, a fourth sprue leading from the other extrusion chamber to the last-mentioned distributing channel on the opposite side of the partition therein, and thin sheet-like passages leading from the distributing channels to the molding cavity.

13. A molding apparatus, which comprises a pair of mold sections having formed therein an elongated molding cavity, a pair of elongated distributing channels extending along opposite sides of the molding cavity, an extrusion chamber, a plurality of sprues leading from the extrusion chamber to the distributing channels, a plurality of thin sheet-like extrusion passages connecting the elongated channels with the molding cavity, a pair of short distributing channels extending along opposite sides of the molding cavity and positioned substantially in alignment with the elongated distributing channels, a second extrusion chamber, a plurality of sprues connecting the second extrusion chamber to the short distributing channels and a plurality of thin sheet-like passages connecting the short distributing channels with the molding cavity.

14. A molding apparatus, which comprises a mold section having a molding recess formed therein, and a second mold section having formed therein a molding recess complementary to the molding recess in the first mold section for forming a molding cavity therewith when the mold sections are joined together, an extrusion chamber, a distributing channel extending along the molding recess in the second mold section and being open at the junction line of the second mold section and a plurality of sprues connecte ing the extrusion chamber with the distributing channel at spaced points therealong, said mold sections having a passage connecting the distributing channel with the molding cavity, said passage having an outlet substantially line-like in cross-section,

15. .A molding apparatus, which comprises a mold section having an elongated molding recess formed therein, and a second mold section having a junction face for fitting against the first-mentioned mold section, said second mold section also being provided with an elongated molding recess complementary to the molding recess in the first mold section for forming a molding cavity therewith when the mold sections are positioned together, an extrusion chamber, a pair of elongated distributing channels open at the junction face of the second mold section, and a plurality of sprues leading from the extrusion chamber to the distributing channels at points spaced along the distributing channels, said mold sections being provided with a plurality of thin extrusion passages leading from the distributing channels to the molding cavity and extending substantially the entire length of the molding cavity, said extrusion passages having outlets of substantially line-like cross-sections.

THOMAS K. COX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Droitcour Feb. 9, 1909 Emery Dec. 9, 1924 Apple Oct. 29, 1935 Husted June 9, 1936 Anderson Jan. 9, 1940 Crosby Dec. 28, 1943 Franz May 2, 1944 Frank et a1 Feb. 13, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany July 8, 1939 Germany Apr. 25, 1938 

